The present disclosure relates to variable cycle gas turbine engines, and more particularly to an exhaust mixer therefor.
Variable cycle gas turbine engines power aircraft over a range of operating conditions, yet achieve countervailing objectives such as high specific thrust and low fuel consumption. The variable cycle gas turbine engine essentially alters its bypass ratio during flight to match requirements. This facilitates efficient performance over a broad range of altitudes and flight conditions to selectively generate high thrust for conditions requiring maximum propulsion, e.g., takeoff or maneuvers, and optimized fuel efficiency for cruise and loiter operation.
An exhaust nozzle controls the thermodynamic cycle of the gas turbine engine and enhances the thrust produced by the gas turbine engine flow stream. In variable cycle gas turbine engines, the size of the exhaust nozzle may need to vary considerably to accommodate large changes in the cycle and the individual flow streams may require a variable nozzle to maximize performance and efficiency.